Here you’ll find the milk cooling temperature requirements, why rapid cooling is important for milk quality, and what to do if temperature standards aren’t met.
Summary:
Raw milk naturally contains low levels of bacteria. Quick effective cooling minimises bacterial growth and ensures that the best quality milk gets to your Co-op’s manufacturing plants.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) regulates milk cooling through the Code of Practice for the Design and Operation of Farm Dairies NZCP1.
Downgrade support
Milk which is collected at elevated temperatures can put milk already in the tanker and milk at manufacturing sites at risk of failing microbiological and regulatory temperature requirements and can contribute to fat damage during pumping.
The first two failures in a calendar month will not incur downgrades, however each temperature failure may impact eligibility of the Co-operative Difference payment for the current season. The third and subsequent failures will incur downgrades.
Milk Cooling Temperatures:
MPI regulates milk cooling through the Code of Practice for the Design and Operation of Farm Dairies NZCP1, which states that milk must:
- be cooled to 10°C or below within four hours of the commencement of milking; and
- be cooled to 6°C or below within the sooner of:
i) six hours from the commencement of milking, or
ii) two hours from the completion of milking; and - be held at or below 6°C without freezing until collection or the next milking; and
- must not exceed 10°C during subsequent milkings.
In situations where there is continuous or extended milking, such as automated milking systems, the milk must enter the bulk milk tank at 6°C or below.
Milk is not suitable for supply?
- The first step is to secure the vat with an approved vat lock. These are available from your local Farm Source store.
- Contact your Co-op as soon as possible to let us know you will not be supplying milk due to a cooling failure.
- Dispose of the milk in accordance with your local Regional Council requirements if you do not intend to hold it on-farm for feeding to other animals on-farm. For more information on disposing of milk, see your Food Safety Practices and Procedures in the Dairy Diary or Dairy Diary app.
- If you need assistance with your cooling system, contact your local service provider or call the Farm Source Service Centre on 0800 65 65 68 for some simple trouble shooting advice.
You are required to have a system for ensuring milk not intended for supply is secured to avoid accidental collection.
Lock and label the vat.
Milk Quality Framework
A temperature failure is recorded for any milk collection that doesn’t meet Terms of Supply (section 8.1).
The first 2 failures in a calendar month do not cause downgrades
From the 3rd failure onwards, penalties (downgrades) apply
Any failure may still affect your Co‑operative Difference payment
Rules are in place to maintain minimum standards and protect the Co‑op’s reputation
See Terms of Supply (section 10.1.14) for more details
Your MVMS system automatically updates milking time windows
It includes time needed to wash the vat
You still need to:
- Tell Fonterra about any cycle changes
- Check and adjust your milking time window at season start
If milk is rejected or not collected due to temperature:
- It is treated as not supplied to Fonterra
- You must dispose of it at your own cost
- It cannot be presented again for collection
Milk pumped onto the tanker to check temperature:
- May be quality tested
- Any downgrades from this testing will still apply